Eliana Willis

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Google Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source<!–> on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Google just began offering Gemini for Home for early access. It’s compatible with most Nest speakers and existing smart home devices. You can sign up via the app and be notified when you’re off the waitlist. Gemini for Home brings the power of […] More

When is Black Friday? In 2025, Black Friday is set for Friday, November 28. It’s one of the best times of the year to score deep discounts on Nintendo Switch consoles, games, and accessories from major retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, and Amazon. We expect many of these sales to carry over until Cyber Monday, December 1. Is the PlayStation 5 really cheaper during Black Friday? Absolutely! Sony’s PlayStation 5 always sees significant discounts during Cyber Week. Retailers often cut prices on console bundles, controllers, and popular games, with price drops usually exceeding $100. This shopping event is one of the best times to pick up a PS5 or expand your game library. At the time of this writing, the price drops are rather humble. We are still in the lead-up to Black Friday, so expect things to improve later.How did we choose these early Black Friday deals?At ZDNET, we only highlight PlayStation deals worth your consideration; the same kind we’d consider ourselves. For this roundup, I specifically sought out PS5 consoles, bundles, accessories, and games about 15% off or more. Black Friday is still several weeks away, so the significant discounts aren’t available yet. Knowing this, I expanded my search to include lesser discounts to fill out the list. Although some price drops aren’t as deep as others, they’re still worth consideration because they offer unique value in other areas.I considered hands-on experience, real-world performance, and customer feedback. Every recommendation on this list is backed by careful research and expert insight so that you can confidently shop these early Black Friday sales. More

PM Images/DigitalVision via Getty Images ZDNET’s key takeaways 54% of I&O leaders are using AI to cut spending, Gartner says. 50% also cited budget constraints as their biggest AI bottleneck. Industries are focusing less on AI hype, more on practical use. The great AI sobering-up is upon us. After years of feverishly racing to adopt […] More

busracavus/iStock/Getty Images Plus Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source<!–> on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Using an AI to do your writing is plagiarism. Services marketed as AI content detectors are a mixed bag. Our tests show chatbots perform as well as or better than standalone tools. How hard is it in 2025  – […] More

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Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNETThe Windows 11 Start menu has frustrated many users with its clumsy layout, rigid limitations, and lack of customization. Instead of enhancing and improving the previous menu designs from Windows 7 and 10, Microsoft seemed to go backwards with a redesign that left many of us wondering, “What were they thinking?”Hit by user complaints, Microsoft has taken steps to try to revamp the menu. One option added in late 2022 lets you create folders in which to store your Start menu shortcuts. A more dramatic overhaul that strives to address some of the menu’s flaws and quirks rolled out to all Windows 11 users in October 2025. Though that update certainly improved the look and layout, the Start menu is still saddled with an awkward design.Also: Your Windows 11 Start menu is getting a design makeover – here’s how to try it firstSwitch to an alternativeIf you dislike the Start menu in Windows 11 as much as I do and want something more usable and customizable, your best bet is to switch to an alternative.Several third-party apps can replace the Windows 11 Start menu, giving it a more familiar two-column layout and helping you tweak and customize it in different ways. The program I use on my Windows 11 machines is Start11. But there are other utilities worth checking out, including StartAllBack and Open Shell Menu. More

Busà Photography/Moment via Getty Images Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source<!–> on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways xAI’s Grokipedia is now live. Articles on the platform are written and “fact-checked” by Grok. It differs from Wikipedia in several ways, but also rips it off. On Monday, Elon Musk’s xAI launched Grokipedia, an online information repository that’s […] More